The present invention relates to a measurement method for examining dense tissue with the help of ultrasound.
The invention also relates to a measurement apparatus for the implementation of the method.
In conventional methods, the examination of dense tissue is performed using X-ray machines. Also apparatuses for measuring dense tissue by means of ultrasound are known in the art. The publication JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND (No. 13, October 1985, pages 597...600, article "Development and Application of an Ultrasonic Imaging System for Dental Diagnosis"), describes an ultrasound measurement method for examining teeth.
Because of the health hazards involved with X-rays, it is impossible to obtain real-time information about the treatment operation; instead, one must be satisfied with single pictures. Conventionally, the preparation of exposing and developing an X-ray picture takes a relatively long time, about 7...10 minutes. The ultrasound equipment currently used in medicine applications further require a computer which must be able to perform relatively complicated computations, and even with a powerful computer it is, e.g., impossible to reliably define the form of the root channel of a tooth or the position of a broach needle in the channel.